Cranial and caudal augulation for coronary angiography revisited.

Several similar projections utilizing cranial and caudal angulation of the X-ray tube in various obliquities have been described recently for coronary angiography and left ventriculography. These views provide improved visualization of the proximal branches of the left coronary artery, the region of the crux of the right coronary artery, and the left ventricle in the left anterior oblique projection; structures which in the conventional projections are often superimposed on one another or are foreshortened. The confusing and conflicting terms--"oblique clockwise and anticlockwise table base turn," "half-axial," "angulated," "sit up," "caudo-cranial sagittal augulation," "cranio-caudal sagittal angulation," and "lordotic" projections--should be discarded in favor of the terms "cranial angulation projection" and "caudal angulation projection." The appropriate anterior, rather than the posterior obliquity should be used to refer to rotation of the patient, or the X-ray beam around his long axis.